thislittlefisho
New member
As I've researched, I've come across so many different answers on how frequently I should do water changes. Is there any kind of way to figure this out?
Water change frequency
- Thread starter thislittlefisho
- Start date
ScottF83
New member
That's mostly because there's no right answer 
All the way from continual water changes a small amount every few mins or hours to not water changing at all
A very clever guy called Randy did a full scientific investigation into the effects of different frequencies and amounts
Google "Water Changes in Reef Aquaria" by Randy Holmes Farley and enjoy the read
Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk
All the way from continual water changes a small amount every few mins or hours to not water changing at all
A very clever guy called Randy did a full scientific investigation into the effects of different frequencies and amounts
Google "Water Changes in Reef Aquaria" by Randy Holmes Farley and enjoy the read
Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk
There is no magic number and it depends a great deal on what is thriving in your system. Keep in mind research is showing what is critical for long term coral health are the types of bacteria being cultivated and thriving in your aquarium and more importantly in the surface boundery layer and mucus of corals.
For a little bit of background, more and more frequently the discusion is shifting to Organic Carbon compounds in the water and animals. There is literally a multitude of compounds that fall under this heading, some good some bad. One of the "rough" subdivisions for DOC is sepperating Total Organic Carbon (TOC) into Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC). On reefs generally the ratio for POC is ~10% and DOC makes up the other ~90% of TOC. DOC on reefs can further be subdivided into Labile, Semi-refractory and Refractory components. While the ratio of Labile and Refractory vary significantly throughout the oceans on reefs the ratios generally are ~33% Labile, a small amount of refractory and ~66% refractory.
What science is showing is for healthy corals the types of labile DOC being produced is critical as some types promote autotrpohic microbial processes beneficial for corals and some types promote heterotrophic microbial processes potentially pathogenic to corals. One of the subsets of labile DOC that is of particular concern is a group labeled Dissolved Combined Neutral Sugars (DCNS). In reef aquariums there is only one way to be sure DCNS is removed and it's with water changes (In many tanks there likely are cryptic sponges that may remove it but we are still a long way from understanding the roles sponges play or why they grow in some tanks and not others and there is research which show cryptic sponges, while essential recyclers for healthy reefs, can under the right conditions help create feedback loops promoting pathogenic bacteria).
An excellent introduction to DOC and how it influences microbial processes read Forest Rohwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" (kindle is $10, papaerback is $20). It's a surprisingly easy read for such a complex subject, sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant and has an excellent list refferences to dig into further. For more on DCNS these papers look at it's roles:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0027973
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23303369
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22944243
https://www.nature.com/articles/ismej2017142
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.13695
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00371/full
For a little bit of background, more and more frequently the discusion is shifting to Organic Carbon compounds in the water and animals. There is literally a multitude of compounds that fall under this heading, some good some bad. One of the "rough" subdivisions for DOC is sepperating Total Organic Carbon (TOC) into Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC). On reefs generally the ratio for POC is ~10% and DOC makes up the other ~90% of TOC. DOC on reefs can further be subdivided into Labile, Semi-refractory and Refractory components. While the ratio of Labile and Refractory vary significantly throughout the oceans on reefs the ratios generally are ~33% Labile, a small amount of refractory and ~66% refractory.
What science is showing is for healthy corals the types of labile DOC being produced is critical as some types promote autotrpohic microbial processes beneficial for corals and some types promote heterotrophic microbial processes potentially pathogenic to corals. One of the subsets of labile DOC that is of particular concern is a group labeled Dissolved Combined Neutral Sugars (DCNS). In reef aquariums there is only one way to be sure DCNS is removed and it's with water changes (In many tanks there likely are cryptic sponges that may remove it but we are still a long way from understanding the roles sponges play or why they grow in some tanks and not others and there is research which show cryptic sponges, while essential recyclers for healthy reefs, can under the right conditions help create feedback loops promoting pathogenic bacteria).
An excellent introduction to DOC and how it influences microbial processes read Forest Rohwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" (kindle is $10, papaerback is $20). It's a surprisingly easy read for such a complex subject, sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant and has an excellent list refferences to dig into further. For more on DCNS these papers look at it's roles:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0027973
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23303369
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22944243
https://www.nature.com/articles/ismej2017142
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.13695
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00371/full
Hellsangelbx
New member
I think you have to know your tank and see where it thrives the best. Some people do no water changes to some that do 1-5gallons per day. I think you have to find that happy place with your tank
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
Went from monthly to bi- weekly to weekly now.
Easier to do in less time & better for everyone, including me.
Easier to do in less time & better for everyone, including me.
joseserrano
Member
Do whatever you will consistelty keep up with.
Oldreeferman
New member
10% here once a month also, tho TBH my tank is almost 3yrs old & stable, in the beginning it was 20% every 2 weeks for a yr. min. I also change out the filter sock every 2 days no matter what, that REALLY helps more then the water changes do to keep the tank nitrates low & clear. Once dosing begins then water changes are mainly for minor elements etc... lost over time & for removing elements that a filter cannot or the bacteria or macro algae cannot utilize.
